Antenna



Jam. 24, 1195@ w. T. FERRxs ETAL 2,495,579

ANTENNA Filed March 5, 1949 il N', I"

atente tien. 24 1950 OFFICEv ANTENNA William 'l'. Ferris and Frank J. Klancnik, Jr.,

hicago, Ill.

Application March 5, 1949, Serial No. 79,796

(Ci. Z50-33) i4 claims. i

The present invention relates in general to radio wave antennas. and has more particular reference to an improved radio antenna tuned to resonate in response to impingement thereon of radio waves of unlike frequency.

An important object of the invention is to provide an antenna having the inherent ability to resonate in response to radio wave impulses of unlike frequency; a further object being to provide an antenna having a principal component adapted to resonate in response to a Wave having relatively high frequency, and an auxiliary component responsive to a wave of relatively lower frequency.

Another object is to utilize rod-like means of appropriate length as the principal component of the antenna, and to provide an auxiliary antenna component comprising a coil electrically disconnected from, but inductively coupled with, said rod-like means; a further object being to provide a simple, inexpensive mounting structure for supporting the components in operative relationship, the one on the other.

Another object is to provide a dl-pole antenna component comprising a pair of aligned rods supported on and extending opposltely from a suitable mounting; a further object being to employ rods of electrical conductingmaterial secured at their adjacent ends in sockets formed in a mounting of insulating material; a further object being to secure the rods in the sockets by clamping@ members of conducting material, on the mouriting, and to utilize the clamping member to electrically connect the rods with lead conductors.

Another object is to utilize rod-like means having end pockets to form the principal component of a radio antenna, and to support an auxiliary component of electrical conducting material on plugs of insulating material mounted in said end pockets; another object being to utilize hollow metal tube means to form the principal component; a further object being to provide an auxiliary component comprising a length of metal wire bent to form an elongated helical coil, and having ends bent for mounting reception in sockets formed in said plugs, whereby to support the coil in positionon and insulated from and encircling the rod-like means forming the principal component extending substantially at the axis of said helical coil.

Another important object is to size the principal component to resonate in response to radio waves of a selected frequency, as in the high frequency television wave band, and to size the auxiliary inductively coupled component to resonate to waves of different frequency. such as in the low frequency television wave band.

Another important object is to provide an auxiliary component comprising a coil in a dipole antenna, whereby the coil, in close proximity to the principal antenna component, increases the impedance of the antenna providing improved impedance match with the apparatus with which connected.

Among the other objects of the invention is to provide an improved multiple component antenna embodying simple construction and a minimum number of parts adapted to low cost manufacture and assembly.

The foregoing and numerous other important objects, advantages, and inherent functions of the invention will become apparent as the same is more fully understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of an antenna embodying the present invention; and

Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged sectional views taken substantially along the lines 2-2 and 3 3, respectively, in Fig. 1.

To illustrate the invention, the drawings show a radio wave antenna Il comprising a principal component i2, an auxiliary component I 3, and suitable means for mounting and supporting the components in operative position. As shown, the principal component I2 comprises preferably straight, rod-like means, of electrical conducting material, suitably supported at the medial portions of the component. The auxiliary component preferably comprises a cage of conducting material supported in position insulated from and surrounding the rodlike means. To this end, the auxiliary component may be, and preferably is, mounted on members I4 of insulating material which, in turn, are supported by the rod-like means, said rod-like means being preferably formed with end pockets into which the members Ill are adapted to be mounted in position with portions thereof extending outwardly of such end pockets to provide insulated mountings for said auxiliary component.

The principal component I2 preferably comprises a pair of metal rods I5 having ends I6 adapted for reception in mounting pocketsll in a central mounting member I9, which preferably comprises a cylindrical block of moulded plastic insulating material. The pockets I1 may be formed in the opposite end of the block to open in diametrically opposite direction, so that the rods I5 may extend in coaxial alignment and in opposite directions from the member I9.

Suitable clamp or fastening members 20, such as headed metal screws, may be used to secure the ends I6 of the rods I5 in the sockets I1, said clamp screws extending through openings I8 in the walls of the pockets I1 and making good electrical contact with the rods I5. The fastening members thus may be employed as connection terminals for electrically connecting the rods with conductor means 2I, whereby the antenna may be connected with apparatus such as a radio receiver with which it is adapted to be used.

The mounting member I9, in its medial portions, may be formed with a laterally opening socket 22, having an axis extending at right angles to the aligned axes of the rod sockets Il. This socket 22 may serve to mount the antenna on any suitable upright support member 23; and the antenna may be adjustably turned about the axis of said support member if desired. A screw 2li, shown in broken lines in Fig. 3, may be used to hold the mounting member I9 on the member or stem 23.

The rods I5 may conveniently comprise metal tubes providing pockets at their outer ends for the reception of the member lli therein, said members I4 preferably comprising cylindrical plugs having portions 24 of reduced size to fit into the ends of the metal tubes, and portions 25 of larger size forming shoulders 26 adapted to engage the ends of the tubes.

The auxiliary component I3 may conveniently comprise a length of metal Wire 21 bent to helical form to provide a cage adapted to enclose the principal component from end to end thereof and in inductive relationship with the rod-like portions I2 thereof. The opposite ends of the wire 21 may be bent inwardly, as at 28, and the terminal portions 29 of said ends may be bent mutually inwardly into coaxial alignment, in position to engage in sockets 30 formed axially in the exposed heads 25 of the mounting plugs Ill. The helical coil comprising the auxiliary thus inexpensively may be mounted on and insulated from the rods forming the principal component.

It will be noted that the principal component I2, in the form embodying a pair of oppositely extending rods, comprises a di-pole antenna, and that the cage comprising the auxiliary component I3 is inductively coupled therewith. The dipole extends substantially at the axis of the helical cage. Since the cage is in close inductively coupled proximity with the principal component, its impedance is increased, providing an improved impedance match with the apparatus with which the antenna is connected. Furthermore, the dipole antenna component I2 may be sized during the manufacture thereof, so that it will resonate in response to radio waves of a desired frequency, auch as in the high frequency television band. The di-pole component thus may be, in a sense, pre-tuned during the manufacture thereof, thus avoiding the necessity of supplyingadjustable tuning means, such as sliding contacts and the like. The auxiliary component comprising the inductively coupled cage may also be sized during fabrication thereof, in order to tune it for response to radio waves of frequency different from that to which the di-pole component is pre-tuned, as, for example, radio waves in the low frequency television band, thereby avoiding the necessity of supplying adjustable tuning means, such as sliding contacts, which are apt to become loose and noisy in service. Energy in the high frequency wave band received on the dipole component may be transferred thence to the connected apparatus through the connecting conductors 2i. Energy in the low frequency wave band may be received on the auxiliary component I3 and reflected thence by induction onto the di-pole component, and transferred thence through the conductors 2| to the antenna connected equipment.

The antenna is thus highly responsive to radio waves in several bands of unlike frequency, and has the additional advantage of improved impedance match with the apparatus to which it may be connected. Furthermore, the device is of unusually simple construction, and comprises a minimum number of inexpensive parts that may be quickly and easily assembled. It will be noted that the auxiliary or inductive cage component, when made in the form of a helix and mounted as taught herein, makes use of its inherent resilience to hold itself and the mounting plugs Iii in assembled position upon the members of the di-pole component.

The structure also allows the antenna to be mounted in an exceedingly inexpensive and simple, yet serviceable, fashion as on a single upright support member 23, which, of course, may have any suitable, convenient or preferred form, and which, in turn, may be carried on a suitable mounting of any preferred construction to form a mounting pedestal or base for the stem 23.

It is thought that the invention and its numerous attendant advantages will be fully understood from the foregoing description, and it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages, the form herein disclosed being a preferred embodiment for the purpose of illustrating the invention.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. Antenna structure comprising elongated rod means forming a d-pole antenna component adapted to resonate to radio waves of selected frequency, and another component comprising an elongated cage of conducting material, said cage being substantially the same length as said rod means and being insulated from an enclosing said rod means along the full length of said rod means and adapted to resonate to radio waves of different frequency, said cage being supported by and inductively coupled to said rod means, and connection means for connecting electrical translating apparatus across the central portion of said elongated rod means.

2. Antenna structure in accordance with claim 1 wherein said elongated cage comprises a helically configurated wire element.

3. Antenna structure comprising elongated rod means forming a di-pole antenna component,

support means of insulating material on said rod means, another component comprising an elongated cage of conducting material, said cage being substantially the same length as said rod means and being insulated from and enclosing said rod means along the full length of said rod means, said cage being supported by said support means and being inductively coupled to said rod means, and connection means for connecting electrical translating apparatus across the central portion of `said elongated rod means.

4. Antenna structure in accordance with claim 3 wherein the elongated cage comprises a helically conflgurated wire element.

5. Antenna structure in accordance with claim 3 wherein the support means are mounted at the opposite ends of said rod means and said cage comprises a length of metal wire forming a helix, the opposite ends of said length of Wire being bent inwardly for attachment on said support means.

6. Antenna structure comprising a central mounting member of insulating material having oppositely opening mounting cavities formed in coaxial alignment therein, a pair of rod-like members of 'electrical conducting material mounted at the ends thereof in said cavities in position extending therefrom in opposite directions and in alignment to form a di-pole antenna component, clamp means of electrical conducting material on said mounting member and operable to secure the ends of said rod-like members each in its corresponding mounting cavity and to electrically connect the same for operation, another component comprising an elongated cage of conducting material, said cage being substantially the same length as said di-pole component and being insulated from and enclosing said dipole component along the full length of said dipole component, said cage being supported by and inductively coupled to said di-pole component, and connection means for connecting electrical translating apparatus across the central portion of said antenna component.

7. Antenna structure comprising a central mounting member of insulating material having oppositely opening mounting cavities formed in coaxial alignment therein, a pair of rod-like members of electrical conducting material mounted at the ends thereof in said cavities in position extending therefrom in opposite directions and in alignment to form a di-pole antenna component, clamp means of electrical conducting material on said mounting member and operable to secure the ends of said rod-like members each in its corresponding mounting cavity and to electrically connect the same for operation, said mounting member being formed with a medial mounting socket, having'an axis extending in a common plane with and at right angles to the aligned axes of said cavities, for the reception of an upright support stem, another component comprising an elongated cage of conducting material, said cage being substantially the same length as said di-pole component and being insulated from and enclosing said di-pole component along the full length of said di-pole component, said cage being supported by and inductively coupled to said di-pole component, and connection means for connecting electrical translating apparatus across the central portion of said antenna component. f

8. Antenna structure comprising elongated rod means of electrical conducting material forming an antenna component, said rod means having spaced, oppositely opening end pockets formed oppositely opening therein, support means comprising plugs of insulating material on said rod means in said pockets, fand a cage of conducting material carried by said support means in position insulated from and enclosing said rod means.

9. Antenna structure comprising elongated rod means of electrical conducting material forming an antenna component, said rod means having spaced, oppositely opening end pockets formed therein, support means comprising plugs of insulating material on said rod means in said pockets, and a cage of conducting material carried by said support means in position insulated from and enclosing said rod means, said cage having mounting flngers extending in sockets formed in said plugs.

10. Antenna structure comprising elongated rod means of electrical conducting material forming an antenna component having oppositely opening end pockets, plugs of insulating material formed to engage in said pockets in position exposed outwardly thereof, each of said plugs forming a mounting socket, and metal wire forming an elongated cage adapted to enclose said rod means in position inductively coupled therewith, including inwardly extending fingers on said cage and adapted to engage in said mounting sockets to support said cage on said rod means.

11. Antenna structure comprising a central mounting member of insulating material having oppositely opening mounting cavities formed in coaxial alignment therein, a pair of rodlike members of electrical conducting material mounted at the ends thereof in said cavities in position extending therefrom in opposite directions and in alignment to form a di-pole antenna component adapted to resonate to radio waves of selected frequency, and another component comprising a cage of conducting material insulated from and enclosing said rod means and adapted to resonate to radio waves of dierent frequency.

12. Antenna structure comprising a central mounting member of insulating material having oppositely opening mounting cavities formed in coaxial alignment therein, a pair of rod-like members of electrical conducting material mounted at the ends thereof in said cavities in position extending therefrom in opposite directions and in alignment to form a di-pole antenna component, support means of insulating material on said rod means, and a cage of conducting material carried by said support means in position insulated from and enclosing said rod means.

13. Antenna structure comprising a central mounting member of insulating material having oppositely opening mounting cavities formed in coaxial alignment therein, a pair of rodlike members of electrical conducting material mounted at the ends thereof in said cavities in position extending therefrom in opposite directions and in alignment to form a di-pole antenna component having oppositely opening end pockets, plugs of insulating material formed to engage in said pockets in position exposed outwardly thereof, each of said plugs forming a mounting socket, and metal wire forming an elongated cage adapted to enclose said rod means in position inductively coupled therewith, including inwardly extending fingers on said cage and adapted to engage in said mounting sockets to support said cage on said rod means.

14. Antenna structure comprising a central mounting member of insulating material having mounting cavities formed nieuwe WILLIAM T. Emis. FRANK J. KmiNcNjm, qu.

REFERENCES ClllilElD The following references are of record in the fille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Dnte 1,284,155 Shartzer Nov. 5, 1918 2,147,142 Braden Feb. 14., 1939 2,175,363 Van B. Roberts Oct. 10, 1939 10 2,240,298 Heindel Apr.29,1941 2,411,976 Peterson Dec. 3, 1946 2,478,313 Peterson Aug. 9, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS w Number Country Date 430,548 Great Britain June 20, 1935 

